In yet another episode of bickering among rival factions in Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, loyalists of P Chidambaram today hit out at a state office bearer for his criticism of the former Union Minister.
Over a dozen Chidambaram loyalists, including former MPs P Vallal Peruman, K S Alagiri and former Chennai Deputy Mayor 'Karate' R Thiagarajan in a joint statement today condemned State unit media department in charge A Gopanna for his remarks against their leader in a Tamil TV News channel.
Gopanna in a TV show had asked why Chidambaram had not taken steps to halt the decline of Congress's prospects in the Lok Sabha polls last year in Tamil Nadu.
He was reacting to Chidambaram's reported remarks in Sivaganga that he knew that the party would lose.
"Are such comments fair from a leader whom the party chief Sonia Gandhi had trusted and given high offices," he told PTI when asked for his reaction.
Accusing Gopanna of "toeing the line of those who to assume office," Chidambaram supporters said he should exercise restraint.
Sources in the Chidambaram camp said they felt that "Gopanna was acting obviously with the concurrence of State unit chief E V K S Elangovan."
The Chidambaram and Elangovan camps in the state had been going hammer and tongs at each other, but there was a lull in recent weeks.
Recently, Elangovan dropped disciplinary action against six loyalists of Chidambaram after they gave an explanation to the AICC.
